Deborah Pratt on thu 9 oct 03
Hello Clayartists,
I "assist" the art department at the college where I am director of the learning center. Up until the past semester, our ceramics classes have been elementary, to say the least. I've been something of a thorn in the side of the new chair of the department (his focus is 2D and 3D painting) by making suggestions of how the ceramics program can be made more college-like, and one of those suggestions is a new wheel (only one we have is old old RK(2 or 3) for which parts are unavailable. The chair would like us to get a kickwheel, so my question is: In your experience, particularly in the classroom, what is the best kickwheel for the money? I have to provide the dean today with an estimate, so I wanted the best feedback I could think of.
Thanks for your suggestions and opinions!
Deb Pratt
Ancilla College, Donaldson Indiana!
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blooksie's stuff on thu 9 oct 03
I like Lockerbie kick wheels - a real work horse. Patricia
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-----Original Message-----
From: Deborah Pratt
To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
Date: Thursday, October 09, 2003 12:23 PM
Subject: best kickwheel for the bucks?
>Hello Clayartists,
>
>I "assist" the art department at the college where I am director of the
learning center. Up until the past semester, our ceramics classes have been
elementary, to say the least. I've been something of a thorn in the side of
the new chair of the department (his focus is 2D and 3D painting) by making
suggestions of how the ceramics program can be made more college-like, and
one of those suggestions is a new wheel (only one we have is old old RK(2 or
3) for which parts are unavailable. The chair would like us to get a
kickwheel, so my question is: In your experience, particularly in the
classroom, what is the best kickwheel for the money? I have to provide the
dean today with an estimate, so I wanted the best feedback I could think of.
>
>Thanks for your suggestions and opinions!
>
>Deb Pratt
>
>Ancilla College, Donaldson Indiana!
>
>
>---------------------------------
>Do you Yahoo!?
>The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search
>
>___________________________________________________________________________
___
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
melpots@pclink.com.
david mcbeth on thu 9 oct 03
In your experience, particularly in the classroom, what is the best
kickwheel for the money?
Without a doubt - Lockerbie, if you can get one with the electric motor all
the better. It is a sturdy machine and much more stable/balanced than the
Amaco - which is also a good machine. In our school setting we have to
Amaco that are used heavily. Their are awkwardly balanced such that even
after warning the students each semester about the precarious nature of the
seat, someone tips over the wheel. The Lockerbie that I own and keep at
school for my own use, is much more stable, well-balanced and even more
comfortable to at at for longer periods of time (for me). The Lockerbie is
VERY heavy. The motor drive is not necessary but helpful if throwing
larger balls of clay. Good luck!
dave
David McBeth, MFA
Professor of Art
Assistant Director of Honors Programs
330 B Gooch Hall
The University of Tennessee at Martin
Martin, Tennessee 38238
731-587-7416
piedpotterhamelin@COMCAST.NET on thu 9 oct 03
I believe that a good electric wheel is purchasable for the same price as a kickwheel, would be more versatile and give you the benefit of wheelchair accessibility. It would also give accessibility for those having some sort of physical incumberment.
Rick
--
"Many a wiser men than I hath
gone to pot." 1649
> I like Lockerbie kick wheels - a real work horse. Patricia
> -----------------------------------------------------
> Click here for Free Video!!
> http://www.gohip.com/free_video/
>
> -----Original Message-----
> From: Deborah Pratt
> To: CLAYART@LSV.CERAMICS.ORG
> Date: Thursday, October 09, 2003 12:23 PM
> Subject: best kickwheel for the bucks?
>
>
> >Hello Clayartists,
> >
> >I "assist" the art department at the college where I am director of the
> learning center. Up until the past semester, our ceramics classes have been
> elementary, to say the least. I've been something of a thorn in the side of
> the new chair of the department (his focus is 2D and 3D painting) by making
> suggestions of how the ceramics program can be made more college-like, and
> one of those suggestions is a new wheel (only one we have is old old RK(2 or
> 3) for which parts are unavailable. The chair would like us to get a
> kickwheel, so my question is: In your experience, particularly in the
> classroom, what is the best kickwheel for the money? I have to provide the
> dean today with an estimate, so I wanted the best feedback I could think of.
> >
> >Thanks for your suggestions and opinions!
> >
> >Deb Pratt
> >
> >Ancilla College, Donaldson Indiana!
> >
> >
> >---------------------------------
> >Do you Yahoo!?
> >The New Yahoo! Shopping - with improved product search
> >
> >___________________________________________________________________________
> ___
> >Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
> >
> >You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> >settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
> >
> >Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at
> melpots@pclink.com.
>
> ______________________________________________________________________________
> Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
> You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
> settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
> Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
William Jacob on fri 10 oct 03
I've got a Laguna kickwheel that I think is great. It's built a lot like a
Lockerbie, but costs several hundred less. The work area is plastic covered
marine plywood rather than metal, but I haven't had any problems with it at
all. The motor on the Laguna is variable speed and reversible, unlike the
Lockerbie, which is one way and full speed. The flywheel seems to be just
as heavy as the Lockerbie, and the bearings seem to be of equal quality
also. The splashpan is similar, but hooks on differently. It's the one area
I think the Lockerbie is superior, but it's a very minor thing. I don't see
any reason to pay the price of a Lockerbie wheel when you could get more
wheel for less money with the Laguna. But hey, if you feel the need to
throw around a big name, go ahead and buy the Lockerbie, I'm sure it's much
more prestigious. Maybe it'll impress somebody.
Celeste Sabel on sat 11 oct 03
Whoa, is this being judgemental or what? I've not known potters to be a group that prefers to pay more just to throw around name brands. Usually we are scrounging through outcasts to get the tools we need.
Celeste in Montgomery, AL
>From: William Jacob
> But hey, if you feel the need to
>throw around a big name, go ahead and buy the Lockerbie, I'm sure it's much
>more prestigious. Maybe it'll impress somebody.
>
>______________________________________________________________________________
>Send postings to clayart@lsv.ceramics.org
>
>You may look at the archives for the list or change your subscription
>settings from http://www.ceramics.org/clayart/
>
>Moderator of the list is Mel Jacobson who may be reached at melpots@pclink.com.
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Lee Love on sun 12 oct 03
My Korean style kickwheel, made of keiyaki/zelkova wood, is probably
my single most important tool. It has really changed how I work. I
never understood why working on these types of wheels was so important until
I had experience with them. I owned one in St. Paul. It was made of
mahogany by a monk at St. John's for Bresnahan. It was a little on the
light side and never had it mounted, so I didn't have a serious chance to
use it back home. I learned at a workshop, that Bresnahan drilled holes
in the bottom of the kickplate of his wheels and filled the holes with lead
to make the wheel heavier.
My Sempai bought theirs from the carpenter that built our teacher's new
workshop, but I bought mine from Tsu-yan, Narui Sensei. He has several
types made by a carpenter (brother to the best box maker in town.) I saw
three types when I bought my wheel: a very squat kickwheel, the standard
traditional Mashiko size and a larger, taller size. I bought the biggest
one.
My Sempai paid around $1,800 dollars for theirs and that didn't
include bearings or a shaft. I paid around $800 for mine. One reason
mine could be made less expensively, is that the kick plate and the head are
not made of solid pieces of keiyaki, but are made of a few substantial
pieces laminated together.. The nice thing about this, is that the
wheelhead is completely smooth, because the surface is a 2 inch cylinder of
wood that covers the upright post holes you usually see on the top of the
wheelhead, where the uprights attach.
Another modern aspect of my wheel is that it has sealed bearings
that can be grease through a fitting like you used to find on old cars.
And the bearing are floating, meaning that the wheel levels itself.
Eventually, I want to buy a handwheel like what Hamada used.
--
Lee In Mashiko, Japan
http://www.livejournal.com/users/togeika
http://mashiko.org
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